Test Car Specifications
Model tested: Mercedes-AMG GT C Coupe Edition 50
Price: £139,855 on-the-road
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, rear-wheel drive, electronically controlled limited slip differential
Body style: two-seat coupe
CO2 emissions: 259g/km (£1,700 first year, £450 for next five years)
Combined economy: 24.8mpg
Top speed: 197mph
0-62mph: 3.7 seconds
Power: 557hp at 5,750- to 6,750rpm
Torque: 680Nm at 1,900- to 5,500rpm
What's this?
The Mercedes-AMG GT C, the latest addition to the rapidly expanding AMG GT range. As with all the other models, there's a biturbo petrol V8 mounted up front, but well back in the chassis, and it's bolted to AMG's seven-speed, dual-clutch Speedshift transmission. For the GT C, maximum outputs are pegged at 557hp and 680Nm, neatly splitting those of the GT S and GT R. The GT C gains some of the GT R's exotic hardware, too, including the electronically controlled rear differential and active rear axle steering. To accommodate all that (plus bigger wheels and a wider track) it's 57mm wider at the rear than the GT and GT S. As on the S, AMG Ride Control with adjustable damping is standard.
For now, the GT C Coupe is solely offered in Edition 50 guise, to celebrate AMG's 50th anniversary. It comes with plenty of bespoke features inside and out, including a choice of 'designo graphite grey' or 'design cashmere white magno' paintwork and it looks sensational. That all helps explain the eye-watering price, as the GT C Coupe is only about £4,000 less than the GT R to buy. Nonetheless, the rest of the price structure reveals that the 'standard' GT C Coupe is likely to come in at about £127,000, which is much more palatable. For reference, the AMG GT range starts at £98,760.
How does it drive?
It's fair to say that, because of the biturbo V8 under the bonnet, we'd probably adore the AMG GT even if it was a sack of the proverbial to drive. It really is one of the most exciting powerplants of our age, mixing up-to-date technology and construction techniques with personality and character like few others, at any price. The extra power and torque over the GT S, and for that matter the standard GT, is worth having, but all versions of this engine kick hard and emit an evocative exhaust note when doing so. If you really want, you can quieten it down a bit by switching the exhaust to its least sporting setting and choosing the Comfort driving mode, but that's not what the GT C is about. So straight-line performance and a rousing engine note are present and correct. How does the rear-wheel-drive chassis cope with it?
Very well, in short. Before the clouds parted and the sun came out to play, we drove part of the test route in streaming rain and the GT C didn't feel nervous or outside its comfort zone, despite massive rear tyres and a firm set-up. Sure, exiting tighter junctions with some lock on can mean being careful with the throttle if you don't want to summon up the attention of the ESP system, but really, this car is very well-balanced and it's easy to mete out the power so it's not something to be afraid of. In the dry, it's simply sensational and while it can comfortably and quickly cover hundreds of miles on the motorway, it comes truly alive on a sweeping back road, where you savour the direct steering and lack of any slop in the suspension or controls. The brake pedal is unfailingly solid, the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is responsive and quick-witted and body control is simply superb. In reality, this is verging on supercar-like ability for the road. Indeed, one of the few negative things we'd say is that it's also as wide as a supercar, which will restrict its usefulness on some B-roads.
Verdict
There's not a duff model in the whole Mercedes-AMG GT line-up and yet, even with the sublime track-biased AMG GT R at the top of the range, the new GT C Coupe stands out as something truly special. Admittedly, the Edition 50 variant is very expensive, but we're expecting the regular GT C to be a useful chunk of change less when it arrives. Nevertheless, we love the fact it can nonchalantly dispatch a long journey in relative comfort yet is deliciously engaging and capable when you turn everything up to 11 and take it by the scruff of the neck. No matter how and where you drive it, the GT C is, perhaps most importantly of all, a real occasion.
Exterior Design
Interior Ambience
Passenger Space
Luggage Space
Safety
Comfort
Driving Dynamics
Powertrain
